ArmInfo. The development of trade and transit cooperation cannot become a basis for geopolitical changes in the region. This was stated by Spokesperson of the Iranian Foreign Ministry Nasser Kanani, commenting on the statement of the Turkish Minister of Transport regarding the establishment of a corridor through the Syunik region of the Republic of Armenia.
A representative of the Iranian Foreign Ministry noted that he was not familiar with the exact statement of the Turkish official. However, according to him, Tehran has a clear position regarding the situation in the region, especially in the Caucasus, regarding the establishment of peace and stability, as well as corridors and transit routes.
"We always emphasize the importance of expanding regional cooperation to establish peace and stability, economic and commercial cooperation, communications and transit. And we emphasized that the development of transit cooperation in the South Caucasus cannot become a basis for geopolitical changes and violation of territorial integrity and sovereignty of countries and violates these principles," Kanani added, Mehr reports.
Yesterday, Turkish Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloglu said that Ankara expects implementation of the so-called "Zangezur Corridor" project by 2029.
"The Azerbaijani part of the Zangezur Corridor (from Baku to Horadiz) is nearing completion. The length of the Turkish section of the corridor is 224 km. Overall, the entire process of creating this corridor will take five years. So, by 2028, we'll complete all the work ," Uraloglu said in an interview with the Turkish channel tvnet. The minister added that, "construction is ongoing on the section from Horadiz to Ordubad (Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan), excluding the part that passes through the territory of Armenia".
"The existing road connecting the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic with Turkiye, approximately 100 km in length, will need reconstruction. Its extension will be the Igdir-Kars railway, for which tender procedures have already been carried out, and we will start laying it this year," Uraloglu said. Referring to Yerevan's position regarding the Zangezur Corridor, the minister emphasized that when such an initiative was first put forward, the Armenian side reacted negatively, despite the fact that they also talked about the benefits for Armenia from this project. "However, recently there have been positive responses from the Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan regarding this corridor. The length of the Armenian section of the Zangezur Corridor is about 43 km. In case of an agreement, the Armenian side will need to plan and tender to consider the corridor as fully completed," he said.
He also mentioned that Iran has proposed the construction of a road on its side that will connect Azerbaijan with the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic and Trkiye through its territory (bypassing Armenia), and negotiations are underway regarding this. "We will implement the Zangezur Corridor project, but we do not object to Iran also becoming part of this link between Turkey and Azerbaijan through its territory. Negotiations and meetings with the Iranian side continue. We expect that this project will be implemented in due time ", he said.
